Climate Services (Aug 2021)
A methodology for assessing climate services’ needs: West Africa case study
Abstract
As of April 2021, 192 Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), out of 197, have submitted their first Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), eight Parties have submitted their second NDCs, and 70 Parties have submitted an updated first NDC outlining priorities and commitments with respect to the implementation of the Paris Agreement, including in the area of adaptation. Climate finance has reached record levels, crossing the US$ half-trillion mark annually for the first time in 2017–18 (CPI, 2019). Action still falls far short of what is needed under a 1.5 °C scenario, however. Estimates include that US$ 180 billion will be needed annually for the period 2020–2030 (Global Commission on Adaptation, 2019), of which US$ 50 billion a year is necessary for Non-Annex countries1 Non-Annex I countries refer to Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) not listed in Annex I of the Convention, which are mainly developing countries.1 to deliver their NDCs (UNEP, 2018). Adaptation finance is only a very small fraction (5%) of the total available climate finance, and financing for climate services and early warning systems needed to support adaptation is only a fraction of that.This paper analyses NDC adaptation priorities, the allocation of international funding, and the current status of countries’ capacities to provide the climate services needed to support adaptation, using West Africa as a test case. We conclude that there is considerable potential for using such information to assess the degree to which adaptation programmes implemented with international funding are effectively addressing national adaptation priorities and improving priority adaptation outcomes, but that additional data, analysis and coordination would be needed to fully realize this potential. Finally, we identify key areas that require further investment, which, if strengthened, would leverage sustainable benefits from the funds being invested in climate change adaptation in West Africa
